NAMS 2002 Workshop - ICOM 2008

predicted total methane conversion within 99% of the experimental values
reported in the literature. The performance analysis was conducted by simulating
the reactor model equations within a broad range of operating conditions,
including reactor temperature, reaction- and permeate-side pressures, steam-tomethane
ratio, membrane thickness, permeate-side sweep gas flow rate,
effectiveness factor and bed porosity. In all simulation studies conducted, the Pdbased
CMRs demonstrated superior performance over the traditional PBRs.
From a traditional process intensification perspective, CMRs exhibit considerable
advantages over traditional reformers including the elimination of high and low
temperature shift reactors, pre-Ox and hydrogen separator, thus enabling
reaction, separation and product concentration processes to take place in a
single unit operation. In order to develop a concrete quantitative performance
evaluation framework for CMRs coupled with progress assessment towards the
attainment of key process intensification objectives, a set of indicators are
proposed that can be readily evaluated by simulating the aforementioned CMR
model. In particular, the proposed reactor performance criteria and process
intensification indicators are realized in terms of conversion, hydrogen recovery,
membrane selectivity, reaction temperature and catalyst lifetime, process
modularity, as well as energy and fuel savings and effective use of resources.